Dispensing device



1954 N. w. HOLBROOK DISPENSING DEVICE Filed Oct. 23, 1951 INVENT OR mo77/4 M4 H04 520m,

ATTORNEYS,

MW v

Patented Oct. 12, 1954 UITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DISPENSING DEVICENathan W. Holbrook, Nashville, Tenn. Application October 23, 1951,Serial No. 252,728

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to an improved dispensing device, the primaryobject of the invention being to provide a simple and efiicient deviceof this kind which is particularly but not exclusively devised for usewith cartons for dispensing therefrom uniform amounts of such materialsas powdered or granulated soap, condiments and the like.

Another important object ofthe invention is to provide a device of thecharacter indicated above which includes means for entering and beingsecured in an opening preferably on the side wall of a carton or thelike, provided for by perforations formed in the side wall, whereby thedevice is securely and removably mounted in operative relation to thecarton or the like.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a valved deviceof the above-indicated character which in the operation of its valveimparts a swirling, scattering motion to the material being dispensed,which prevents clodding and lumping of the material being dispensed.

Other important objects and advantageous features of the invention willbe apparent from the following description and the accompanyingdrawings, wherein, for present purposes of illustration only, a specificembodiment of the invention as set forth in detail.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation;

Figure 2 is a top plan view;

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal section taken on the line d-@ of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a transverse section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 1; and

Figure 6 is a perspective view showing the device installed in anopening in a carton side wall.

Referring in detail to the drawings, wherein like numerals designatelike parts throughout the several views. The illustrated devicecomprises a tubular, cylindrical body 9 formed with a preferablyintegral, external, annular stop flange l c located about midway betweenits inner and outer ends It and I2, respectively.

The inner end I! of the body 9 is internally beveled at M to a sharpedge I 5 which facilitates penetrating the side wall It, or other wallof a carton I! or other container preferably provided with perforationsdefining a dispensing hole through which the inner end ll of the body 9is adapted to be inserted.

The exterior of the body 9 between the stop flange ill and the inner endit is formed with longitudinally elongated, radially projecting fins orlugs 18 at widely spaced, circumferential intervals. The lugs l8 haveouter edges I9 which taper toward the inner end H of the body 9 tofacilitate their entry into the hole formed in a carton side wall, andthe wider outer ends 20 of the lugs are longitudinally spaced from thestop flange It] to define shoulders arranged to engage the inner surfaceof the container wall in opposition to the stop flange H) which isarranged to engage the outer surface of the carton side wall, a securemounting of the dispensing device on the carton thus being assured.

Internally the body 9 is provided with a partition disc 2| which islocated intermediate the ends of the body 9 and forms amaterial-accommodating chamber 22 between itself and the inner end II ofthe body 9. The partition disc 2! is formed with two diametricallyopposed, fan-shaped openings 23, 23 which provide limited communicationsbetween the chamber 22 and the cylindrical space 24 in the interior ofthe body 9 outwardly of the partition disc 2!.

In the cylindrical space 24 is positioned the rotary cruciformcross-section valve 25 which has a running fit with the surface of theside wall of the space M and extends axially from the outer sideof thepartition disc 2! to a point close to the outer end l2 of the body 9 Thefour vanes 26 of the valve 25 areequally circumferenti-ally spaced andhave substantially the same circumferential spacing from each other asthe side edges of the fan-shaped openings 23 of the partition disc 2|.The vanes 26 converge at their rearward ends in an axial hub 27 whichhas an axial pin 28 on its inner end which is journaled in a hole 29formed in the center of the partition 2|; and another axial pin 30 onits outer end which is journaled in a hole 3| formed in a cover disc orend plate 32 which is inserted in the outer end E2 of the body 9 and hasa lateral flange 33 engaging the outer end I2. The outer end portion ofthe hub 21? of the valve 25 has an eccentric projection 34 provided withan abutment face 35.

The inner surface of the end plate 32 is formed with a transverse groove36 which extends tangentially to the hub and normal to the abutment face35 in the normal closed position of the valve 25. A widened inner endportion of the groove 36 defines a stop shoulder 31. A push bar 3%slides lengthwise in the groove 35% and has a lateral stop projection 39for engaging the stop shoulder 3'7 to prevent outward displacement ofthe push bar 38. The push bar 38 has a pressure cup or disc 46 on itsexposed outer end for operative engagement by a finger. The end plate 32is formed with two diametrically opposed, fan-shaped dispensing openings4!, 4! which are arranged at 90 with respect to and between the similaropenings in the partition disc 2 I.

A spiral spring 42 encircles the outer end of the hub 21 of the valve 25and has one end anchored in a hole 43 in the end plate 32 and its otherend bearing against one of the vanes 26, whereby the valve "25 isnormally biased in a direction to engage the abutment projection 39 withthe inner end of the push bar 38, in which position the vanes 26 occupypositions intermediate the fan-shaped openings of the partition disc 21and end plate 32 and prevent material from passing from the chamber .22to the discharge openings M of the end plate '32. However, when the pushbar 38 is pushed inwardly, the valve is rotated in one direction againstthe tension of the spring 42. With the carton tilted toward thedispensing device the chamber 22 is then in communication with thespaces between two adjacent ones of the vanes 26 of the valve, so thatmaterial passes into these spaces and can fall from the dispensingopenings M. As the push rod 38 is released and the valve 25 is returnedtoward initial or normal position, more of the material present in thechamber 22 passes into the spaces between adjacent vanes 26 of the valve25 and is carried around the valve space and permitted to fall throughthe dispensing openings 4|. As the valve rotates thus in oppositedirections, the material being dispensed is carried around within thebody 9 and thereby prevented from clodding and lumping and is-dischargedthrough the openings H in oppositely swirling, scattering streams.

The device is preferably made of molded plastic, with the partition disk2| and end plate cemented in place. In assembling the device, the disc2! is first secured in place, then the valve 25, spring 42, push rod 38are placed in position, and the end plate 32 then cemented in place.

What is claimed is:

1. In a dispensing device, an open ended tubular body, a partition inthe interior of said body spaced from one end thereof and defining agranular material receiving chamber, said partition being formed with apair of diametrically opposed openings, an end plate closing the otherend of the tubular body, a rotary axial valve positioned in the spacebetween and rotatably supported in said end plate and said partition,said valve comprising a hub and four radial vanes projecting from thehub at circumierentially spaced intervals, said end plate being formedwith a pair of diametrically opposed dispensing openings positionedbetween the openings of said partition, a stop on said end plate, saidvalve normally occupying -a position in which the vanes are locatedbetween the openings in the partition and the openings in the end plateand prevent communication therebetween, and operating means connectedwith said valve for rotating said valve away from its normal position toa position in which its vanes traverse the partition openings and thedispensing openings so as to permit material present in said chamber topass between adjacent vanes to the dispensing openings, said operatingmeans comprising a projection extending radially from said hub, a pushrod slidably mounted in said end plate and having one end extendingthrough and beyond the side wall of said body, said rod having its otherend engageable with said projection for rotating said valve responsiveto the sliding movement of said rod toward said valve, a springconnected to said body and to said valve for biasing said valve to itsnormal position, and a stop projection on said rod adjacent said otherend thereof engageable with said stop on said end plate to limit themovement of said rod away from said valve.

2. In a dispensing device, an open ended tubular body, a partition inthe interior of said tubular of said tubular body spaced from one endthereof and defining a granular material receiving chamber, saidpartition being formed with a pair of diametrically opposed openings, anend plate closing the other end of the tubular body, arotary axial valvepositioned in the space between and rotatably supported in said endplate and said partition, said valve comprising a hub and our radialvanes projecting from the hub at circumierentially spaced intervals,said end plate being formed with a pair of diametrically opposeddispensing openings positioned between the openings of said partition,said end plate being provided with a groove on its internal faceextending tangentially with respect to said hub, the end portion of saidgroove adjacent said hub being wider than the main portion of the grooveand connected to said main portion by a shoulder, said valve normallyoccupying a position in which the vanes are located between the openingsin the partition and the openings in the end plate and preventcommunication therebetween, and operating means connected with saidvalve for rotating said valve away from its normal position to aposition in which its vanes traverse the partition openings and thedispensing openings so as to permit material present in said chamber topass between adjacent vanes to the dispensing openings, said operatingmeans comprising a projection extending radially from said hub, a pushrod slidably mounted in said groove and having one end extending throughand beyond the side wall of said body, said rod having its other endengageable with said projection for rotating said valve responsive tothe sliding movement of said rod, and a spring connected to said bodyand to said valve for biasing said valve to its normal position, theportion of said rod adjacent the other end thereof being complementallyshaped to fit the widened end portion of said groove and having ashoulder engageable with the shoulder of said groove to limit themovement of said rod away from said valve.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,768,826 Campbell July 1, 1930 1,885,979 Bobrick Nov. 1, 19322,472,688 Wydra June 7, 1949

